Jay Odenbaugh
James F. Miller Professor of Humanities
TTH 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Or by appointment on Zoom
“Philosophy in its best moments is about instilling intellectual accountability. As William James noted, ‘Many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.’”
My research is in the philosophy of science (especially ecology and conservation biology) and environmental philosophy. Most recently, I have been writing on the conflict between the northern spotted owl and the barred owl in the Pacific Northwest. As one example, I recently co-authored a Guest Essay in the NYTimes in which we discuss our concerns about the proposal to save northern spotted owls by killing barred owls. You can also hear me discuss the topic on OPB’s Think Out Loud, the CBC’s Daybreak with Chris Walker, KUOW’s Soundside, and WBUR’s On Point.
Specialty
Philosophy of biology, environmental philosophy, philosophy of psychologyAcademic Credentials
PhD University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Philosophy
MA Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois, Philosophy BA Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, Philosophy/Biology
Teaching
Fall 2024 Courses:
PHIL 250: Philosophical Methods
TTH 9:40am - 11:10am
Some of the main methods, concepts, distinctions, and areas of systematic philosophical inquiry. Including basic tools for argument, such as validity, soundness, probability, and thought experiments; basic tools for assessment, such as the rule of excluded middle, category mistakes, and conceivability; and basic tools for conceptual distinctions, such as a priori versus a posteriori and analytic versus synthetic. Includes methods, such as the history of philosophy, naturalized philosophy, conceptual analysis, and phenomenology, as well as areas of systemic philosophical approach, such as empiricism, rationalism, naturalism, realism, idealism, internalism, externalism, and nominalism.
Prerequisites: PHIL 101
PHIL 313: Philosophy of Mind
TTH 1:50pm - 3:20pm
The mind-body problem, mental causation, consciousness, intentionality, the content of experience, internalism and externalism about content, perception.
Prerequisites: PHIL 101. PHIL 250. PHIL 102 or one course in the history of philosophy sequence (PHIL 301 through PHIL 307) recommended. Sophomore standing required.
Research
Odenbaugh, J. (2023). Philosophy and ethics of de-extinction. Cambridge Prisms: Extinction, 1, e7.
Odenbaugh, J. (2022). Owl vs owl: Examining an environmental moral tragedy. Philosophia, 50(5), 2303-2317.
Odenbaugh, J. (2020). Biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and the environmentalist agenda. Biology & Philosophy, 35, 1-11.
Odenbaugh, J. (2023). An even better ape? Comments on a better ape. Biology & Philosophy, 38(4), 27.
Odenbaugh, J. (2022). What Should Species Be?: Taxonomic Inflation and the Ethics of Splitting and Lumping. In Species Problems and Beyond (pp. 91-104). CRC Press.
Odenbaugh, J. (2021). Models, models, models: a deflationary view. Synthese, 198(Suppl 21), 1-16